Wireless communication devices transmit and receive information wirelessly via a wireless access node to communicate over a communication network. Typically, the wireless access node is part of a radio access network (RAN) which provides the wireless communication devices with access to further communication networks, systems, and devices. The wireless communication devices typically utilize “forward link” or “downlink” communication channels to receive voice and/or data transmitted from the wireless access node, and “reverse link” or “uplink” communication channels to transmit information up to the node.
In fourth generation (4G) long term evolution (LTE) communication systems, a wireless communication device is referred to as user equipment (UE), while a wireless access node is called an enhanced node B (eNodeB). In some situations, a relay node is also utilized to relay communications from an eNodeB to outlying UE devices that do not receive good coverage from the eNodeB but are within range of the relay node. Some eNodeBs utilize beamforming antennas, which steer the main beam of the antenna to cover specific individual UE devices momentarily. A beamforming antenna operates by locating an individual UE device, typically through its global positioning system (GPS) coordinates, manipulating phase differences of the outgoing signal on the antenna's elements, and thereby creating a traffic beam which provides optimal coverage to a specific UE.